Allpax Reciprocating Retorts Improve Shelf-Stable Food Processing Time, Taste, Texture, and Appearance
Covington, LA (PRWEB) October 09, 2014 -- Allpax, powered by Pro Mach, will feature at Pack Expo 2014 in Chicago the results of taste and appearance tests conducted on a range of low-acid foods made shelf stable in high-and low-speed reciprocating retorts. (Allpax Pack Expo Booth # N-5317)
Allpax found that Shaka® high-speed reciprocating retorts are ideal for processing hard to retort foods and producing shelf-stable premium foods, abilities which can help companies achieve product differentiation. Gentle Motion lower-speed reciprocating retorts are optimal for increasing retort room throughput and quality. Research results, including comparative photos, tasting notes, and processing times, will be showcased at the Allpax Pack Expo booth along with a Shaka retort.
Compared to static retorts, reciprocating retorts such as Shaka and Gentle Motion distribute heat faster and more evenly in pouches and semi-rigid plastic trays that are oriented horizontally in a retort basket.
Shaka Test Results
A shrimp pasta and tomato cream sauce dish processed in a Shaka retort produced shrimp with an outstanding stove top texture. The flavor and appearance were excellent. A pasta and cheese dish was also judged superior when processed in a Shaka retort. A béchamel white sauce and guacamole dip, notoriously difficult low-acid foods to sterilize, also showed exceptional results. Allpax found during its testing that Shaka is ideal for producing purees. A split pea and ham dish packaged in a pouch had, like the shrimp dish, superior taste and appearance.
“Brand owners frustrated with the introduction of unique new products or engaged in efforts to differentiate products packaged in trays and pouches should strongly consider running tests on an Allpax 2402 multimode R&D retort which has Shaka and Gentle Motion capabilities or having Allpax run tests in our facility,” said Adam Reichert, Thermal Processing Technician/Process Engineer at Allpax. “The results may be quite encouraging.”
Gentle Motion Sterilization Increases Throughput and Retort Room Capacity
Gentle Motion decreased sterilization time by 20 to 60 percent on the six foods tested. In every case the taste, texture, and appearance were equal or superior to dishes processed in a static retort. Shorter sterilization time made dishes look fresh, more natural, and less processed. “Beef stew, for example, processed in 48 minutes compared to the static retort’s 82 minutes and demonstrated comparable taste and texture,” Reichert said.
Pack Expo attendees will have access to complete test results. For more information on R&D options for Shaka and Gentle Motion, call 1-888-893-9277 and visit http://www.Allpax.com.
About Allpax Products
Allpax Products, a market leader in retort technology and retort room automation, designs, manufactures, and delivers turnkey sterilization solutions for the food, beverage, pet food, and pharmaceutical industries. The company is recognized for helping customers become more successful by decreasing time to market with laboratory retort equipment, lowering overall labor costs through automation, and increasing the overall throughput of the sterilization process. For more information visit http://www.Allpax.com.
About Pro Mach
Pro Mach is a leading provider of integrated packaging and processing products and solutions for food, beverage, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and other diverse companies. Through its brands, Pro Mach provides product packaging and processing equipment, PMMI certified training, installation, parts, and service in Bottling & Capping, Primary Packaging, Flexible Packaging, Material Handling, Identification & Tracking, and End-of-Line Packaging.
Pro Mach has a diverse customer base, from Fortune 500 companies to smaller, privately-held businesses worldwide, which depend on reliable, flexible, technologically advanced equipment and integrated solution sets. Pro Mach is headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, with manufacturing facilities and offices throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. For more information about Pro Mach, visit http://www.ProMachInc.com.
John Eklund, Pro Mach Inc., +1 (704) 944-5340, [email protected]
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